Gone
by Florentine Quill
Summary: Possible reactions to chapter 381 of the manga SPOLERS AHEAD. Tsunade calls in the Rookie 9 for an important mission and some sad news...Vague hints of JirTsu if you look at the text with a microscope


Wow, someone actually decided to click on this o.o

Well thanks for reading, it helps soothes my Inner Ritsu and convinces me that I don't totally fail

Inner Ritsu: YES YOU OMG THEY'LL READ IT AND LAAAAAAAAUGH AT YOU AND THEN LEAVE FLAMES AND-is shoved in his box

' Sorry. Go ahead and read, if this hasn't scared you off.

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Tsunade stood at her office window, looking out over the bustling streets of Konoha. She heard someone knock at the door hesitantly. She briefly attempted to swallow away the lump in her throat with very little success.

"E-enter." She called out shakily. Shizune poked her head through hesitantly.

"Tsunade-sama? The teams you've requested have arrived."

"Send them in." She replied, wiping away the tears that had been trailing down her face silently. Shizune nodded and withdrew for a moment. Tsunade remained standing, facing the windows.

"Oi baa-chan!" She cracked a small smile at Naruto's enthusiastic greeting before turning to face what had come to be known as the Rookie Nine. Teams 7, 8 and 10. The most powerful of their generation. Legends in the making…

"Everyone, I've gathered you hear for a mission briefing. But before that…" She closed her eyes, her heart clenching painfully in her chest. "I am sad to inform you that Jiraiya, of the Sannin was killed in battle against the Akatsuki leader." She reopened her eyes in time to see Naruto's anguished face as the genin crumpled to the floor.

"Nani?" He asked in a broken whisper. The others remained silent, watching the pair who'd known the famous toad hermit better than almost anyone. Tears started flowing down Tsunade's face once more. "He's…gone Naruto. From what his summon told us he was caught by surprise. Some kind of attack to his throat."

She watched as Naruto's face crumpled even further, tears starting to fall from his own eyes. He pulled his knees to his chest, hiding his face from the rest of the group- but the shaking of his shoulders betrayed his shuddering sobs of grief. Sakura crouched, by her distraught teammate. She wrapped a comforting arm about his shaking shoulders.

"It'll be alright Naruto…mourn later, we're here for a mission briefing." She murmured comfortingly. After a few moments his sobs slowly subsided and he raised his head, wiping his eyes.

"No it won't be…" He whispered, eyes closed. "Another person's been killed because of me. But I'll stop them. I'm tired of hiding here in Konoha- if the Akatsuki wants that damned fur ball, they'll have to get through _me._" He raised his head, crimson eyes burning hotly with a barely contained fury.

His voice changed subtly, deepening into an animalistic growl. Everyone one in the room stiffened as the Kyuubi's chakra washed over them. Luckily Naruto had told everyone what had been sealed inside him otherwise…it would've been bad.

"**Let me guess the mission baa-chan- Go after the remaining Akatsuki." **Tsunade nodded numbly. Naruto smiled evilly, showing his impressive fangs. A few moments later the canines shrunk, along with the thickened whisker marks and his eyes faded back to their normal sapphire blue. Everyone relaxed subconsciously, listening attentively as Tsunade went on to explain the mission in greater detail.

Finally the briefing came to a close and everyone filed out. Naruto and Sakura stayed back. They watched as Tsunade sat heavily in her chair. Naruto walked over and embraced her in a tight hug. She returned the embrace. Sakura cleared her throat and when both looked at her she simply hefted a bottle of sake along with two cups. Tsunade cracked another small smile.

"Shizune would kill you if she found out…" She started half-heartedly. Sakura snorted as she poured the grieving pair drinks.

"I think the village will understand. And so will she, shisou." Sakura said, pressing the cup into her master's willing fingers. Naruto had already picked up his own cup and raised it in preparation for a toast.

"To the best….the best Sannin, the best teacher…and the greatest pervert Konoha has ever seen. To Jiraiya, beloved friend, lover, and mentor." He said simply, before downing his sake. Tsunade followed suit, along with Sakura who took a sip straight from the bottle. All three sighed as they felt the alcohol burn a path to their stomachs. They stood up silently, Sakura leaving as Naruto and Tsunade shared one final hug.

"Don't worry you old hag." He whispered in her ear before he let go and turned to leave. She let out a small growl for old time's sakes. He paused, hand on the doorknob.

"I'll bring him back home…af**ter** I **destroy them.**" His voice turned guttural once more and he looked at her with crimson eyes that dissolved into blue, but still retained their slit pupils. She nodded as he left, whispers of red chakra swirling and flickering around his body.

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Author's Note: Ok, as some of you have probably figured out this one-shot was largely inspired to be written by the need to vent some remaining emotion's about chapter 381 from the manga online- I talked to my friends but talking can only ease so much pain TT

So just a few notes, just two actually. One, some readers undoubtedly are clinging to the hope that Kishimoto in one of his evil plot twists will have actually NOT killed off Jiraiya, noting that we have yet to see his dead corpse. I count myself among this group, but I have a feeling that Jiraiya's gone to the great hot spring in the sky to join the Sandaime in peeping on the angels. Two, a few people might object to the lover comment in Naruto's toast- I'm mainly referring to Tsunade on that one, mostly becuase they'd make a good couple (in my opinion) and two...there's had to be at least one love in Jiraiya's life and I bet he and she had a great relationship while it lasted.

So I'm going to shut up now and contemplate whether or not to create two or three more one-shots loosely connected to this.


End file.
